Lighting for Albinos

[katach]

I know this has probably been discussed before, but I didn't really want to sift through a million pages of threads. So what is the general consensus for albino lighting. I know a regular bulb is too bright for them.
Should I use a red bulb or a what? Bill is building a new toy for her and we are going to use Reptibark for her substrate so we can see her better than we would in aspen. I'm so excited and I want to have everything ready for her when she gets here. He's mailing the money order tomorrow!

[kibakiba]

A red bulb would be best for albinos. I believe Marnie uses one for Hermes.

[katach]

That's what I figured, but I just wanted confirmation. Thanks Chantel!!

[EasternGirl]

I use a red bulb for him and I also recently got him a blue moonlight bulb which he likes very much. They do not like light much at all...but I have found that Hermes likes the warmth of the bulb and basking very much. I leave his red bulb on all the time and have hanging plants near it that he likes to bask in. He also has a hide right under his bulb that he spends a lot of time in. Then he has hanging plants and a hide on his cool side too. He is very nocturnal...so I actually have a dimmer on the lamp, and I turn the light down during the day and up at night...the opposite of what I do for my other snakes...because he usually comes out at night and basks and hides during the day. Then of course, I just watch...if he seems to be spending a lot of time on the cool side...or if it is a particularly warm day, I just shut his lamp off during the day and put it on low at night. Sometimes I switch it out for the moonlight bulb. I also keep the cool side of his tank covered with a towel to block out extra light coming in from the rooms in my house...he only comes out when the lights are dim in the room, and like I said...most of his active time is in the middle of the night.

[katach]

Thanks for the info Marnie! Where do you get your bulbs?

Bill is building a new shelving unit for her to sit on. We plan on putting her next to everyone else (just a separate tank). It's pretty dim there most of the time anyway. We don't have a whole lot of lighting in our apartment. We'll probably keep her in another room at first for her quarantine period though.

[EasternGirl]

I either get my bulbs at my local pet store or I order them on Amazon...that is where I found the blue moonlight bulb. Here...I use this one: Amazon.com: Zoo Med Nightlight Red Reptile Bulb 40 Watts: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Nightlight-Reptile-Watts/dp/B000255OVS/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1329881524&sr=1-4) and this one: Amazon.com: Exo Terra Night-Glo Moonlight A19 Lamp, 50-Watt: Pet Supplies (http://www.amazon.com/Terra-Night-Glo-Moonlight-Lamp-50-Watt/dp/B0002AR3N0/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1329881663&sr=1-3) Sorry, that second one is actually technically a blacklight bulb...but it looks blue. You have to be careful though, because they make blue bulbs that have UV light in them. Yeah, Hermes is in a shelving unit with my other snakes too...in my living room. It is also pretty dim in there most of the time...I just have to watch for sun coming in the windows during the day...if it gets too bright, I use the towel. Also...I'm not sure how your shelving unit is made...mine is wrought iron, so light comes up from the lights over the tanks below...so I have to put a towel or a piece of cardboard under Hermes' tank to block out the light from the tanks underneath.

[chris-uk]

Binky, being in a viv with the normal checkereds and the blacknecks, has the standard lighting. The room isn't bright and never gets direct sunlight. There's a strip of white LEDs across the top of the viv on the outside of the ExoTerra mesh top. It's not very bright, just enough so that they know it's daytime in the dim room. Binky comes out as often when the lights are on as she does when the light is off, so I'd say that white LEDs don't do an albino any harm.

[Selkielass]

I use a standard 40 wat light bulb, but Ziva has dark places to hide.
Avoid UV lighting as this emits more of the harmful frequencies. Low light is best.

[EasternGirl]

Maybe Hermes is a vampire snake as well as an albino...lol. He really dislikes any kind of light and daytime. He hides during the day even with the red bulb and dim lights in the room. Now, mind you, I have never tried putting a regular bulb in is lamp because I thought you weren't supposed to do that with albinos. Should I try putting a regular 40 watt bulb in his lamp and see if he comes out more?

[RedSidedSPR]

[QUOTE=katach;200435when she gets here. He's mailing the money order tomorrow![/QUOTE]

Wait, what?

[katach]

I'm getting a female albino checkered for my birthday from Bill!!! :D
http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/general-talk/10028-happy-birthday-me.html

[RedSidedSPR]

Well that's pretty awesome.

[katach]

Yes, yes it is!!!! :D

[EasternGirl]

So back to the lighting for albinos topic...how many people with albinos on here use regular bulbs for their albinos? As opposed to red or black lights? I'm wondering if I should try a regular bulb for Hermes...to see if he comes out more.

[chris-uk]

Binky is in with white LED and underfloor heating, so normal lighting, just not using the light as a heat source.

[kimbosaur]

I was using a 15 watt incandescent bulb in an aquarium hood but found it wasn't emitting enough heat so I switched to a reptile lamp with a 50 watt reptile bulb. Although both snakes bask inches underneath it pretty much daily. I am concerned that it may be drying out her skin or something though. Her skin always look a little dry.

[EasternGirl]

Hmm...I could give it a try, but I just think that given his reaction to any light coming in the room, he probably won't like it. Yep...I think he is a vampire snake.

[RedSidedSPR]

I hacked the school wireless. *beams with pride*

[EasternGirl]

Jesse...are you smoking funny cigarettes over there? Do we need to sit you down and force you to watch after school specials? Perhaps we need to create a thread called "Random things that fly out of Jesse's a*% which is apparently connected to his mouth". :eek:

[ConcinusMan]

So back to the lighting for albinos topic...how many people with albinos on here use regular bulbs for their albinos? As opposed to red or black lights? I'm wondering if I should try a regular bulb for Hermes...to see if he comes out more.

Oh, you can use a regular incandescent bulb, it's just that they tend to hide from it and come out at night. No UV bulbs of course. They will "sun" burn and/or go blind due to lack of melanin. It can also cause cancer. Low light and red or ceramic bulb for heat is best IMO. A red bulb at night will not be seen by them, especially if you use one specifically for nocturnal reptiles. They can't see red light. They'll think it's dark and come out. You of course, will be able to see them just fine under red light.

[EasternGirl]

So there is really no way to encourage him to come out more during the day. I'm pretty much just looking at providing ample heat for him...I'm not worrying about regulating light...or night/day cycles for him like I do with my other snakes. Is that correct?

[ConcinusMan]

Day / night cycles should still be observed. Day length (an indicator of the season) still has a regulating effect on breeding / brumating behavior and appetite. Checkereds in the southern portion of their range are often active year 'round since if it's warm enough but the day length lets them know what time of year it is. Erratic on/off times still confuses them. With my nocturnal albinos, I just run a red bulb for half the night if I want to watch their night time activity. They're usually most active in the 3-4 hours right after dark.

[PINJOHN]

Marnie just to make things even more complicated have you considered that your snake might be one of those that is just a bit more shy and retiring and it may have little to do with being albino or his light levels.
we have all come across this type of snake, exits the hide eats goes back into hide till next feed.....just thought i would throw this in to wreck your head :D

[ConcinusMan]

Marnie just to make things even more complicated have you considered that your snake might be one of those that is just a bit more shy and retiring and it may have little to do with being albino or his light levels.
we have all come across this type of snake, exits the hide eats goes back into hide till next feed

Yeah, that happens. I usually sell them off or give them away though.:p If I wanted a reclusive lump to feed, I wouldn't be keeping garters.:rolleyes:

[kimbosaur]

A bit of an old pic, but it's just too cute to not share. Didn't know where else to post this.

How to bask comfortably when you're an albino:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1hCygDEF6Xg/T-0VZNK8fHI/AAAAAAAAAI8/LQvUbnKm0Ms/s800/IMG_0197.JPG

Reminds me of:
http://images.jbox.com/d9/dollco_45_small.gif

[katach]

Cute!

[guidofatherof5]

Love the hides. More green enclosures.;)

[ConcinusMan]

Yeah, and if they ever need to freshen their breath, or if they need cold relief, they don't need to go far. LoL

[kimbosaur]

Hehe. Unfortunately, I had to retire the Vapo-rub hide which was their absolute favourite. So much so that they never wanted to leave...even to use the bathroom.

[EasternGirl]

I had to retire Cee Cee's favorite slim jim can hide and they don't make the cans anymore. Getting ready to have to find a new favorite hide for Sadie too. She loves her Nike shoebox hide...but someone keeps pooping on the top of it and it is starting to cave in a bit...lol.

[ProXimuS]

Very cute Kim! I like your new avatar too;)

[kimbosaur]

Thanks Emily. It's one of my favourite pics! :D

[EasternGirl]

Yes...very cool pic!